Written by: Kendall A. | Umm Iman
(Originally posted May 7, 2020)
As many of us find ourselves in sudden homeschooling with our children, there are a lot of questions about how to do it. As a teacher and parent of two young children (a toddler and preschooler), I have had to put my skills to use in creating a simple planner to guide us in our learning goals for each week. I did not intend for this guide to be an all-encompassing, yearly planner with objectives, assessments, etc. I just wanted and needed something simple to help me in ensuring that I am providing them with a variety of activities, experiences, and opportunities for learning, play, and growth, particularly during this uncertain time. If I were planning to homeschool for the entire academic year, I would utilize some type of yearly planner just to give myself some goals and trajectory insight into where we are going. These are unique times, which I feel, call for unique solutions and considerations.
I am a firm believer that children learn immensely from play, not only for social development, but also academic. As parents and adults, we can set up play environments that meet educational goals, as well as the need to just play, in a way that is fun and hands-on for children. It is fine if they don’t get to every activity, each day. It’s also fine for us to repeat some activities and leave them on the shelf for a few weeks. The aim is to offer different experiences and spark their interest in new works, as well as to allow them space for mastery through repetition.
I use this guide in tandem with our schedule to put out activities for each category. Most of the activities are independent, and my children can do them on their own and feel successful. There are also a few activities that they need to be shown how to do or that we have to sit down and work on together, such as: Quran memorization and the sound book. I’ve attached the planner, along with a sample of how to use it and additional ideas for activities in each curriculum category. If you need more information or ideas, feel free to contact me, in sha Allah!
Remember that parenting is a creative space to design the childhood and educational experience that you desire.
